Procedure qualifying balancing instrument

Procedure for qualifying a balancing instrument for the bid price ladder.

In the new balancing regime GTS will call upon a bid price ladder when the System Balance Signal (SBS) leaves the Dark Green Zone (DGZ). The goal of a bid price ladder call is to bring the SBS back inside the DGZ, which can only happen if gas physically leaves or enters the gas transportation system. In order for GTS to be reasonably sure that a call on the bid price ladder will have an actual effect on the SBS, GTS will qualify only physical balancing instruments for bidding on the bid price ladder.

Only Acknowledged PV’s (APV) are allowed to submit a balancing instrument for qualification. APV’s have passed the checks for creditworthiness and communication (certification) including bid price ladder messages. Other parties who wish to offer bids on the bid price ladder (for example: industrial users that can vary their off take within the timeframe of the bid price ladder) but are not APV’s themselves, must qualify their balancing instrument and offer their bids via an APV. This APV is then also responsible for processing a called bid.

A request for qualification must be made by sending this form  to the address and contact below. This form includes:
1. The name of the APV making the request for qualification.
2. The network point(s) the balancing instrument is located at.
3. The shortest leadtime(s) (30, 90 or 150 minutes) the balancing instrument(s) will be offered on the bid price ladder for. This leadtime must be in line with the nomination leadtime of the network point.

The APV does not need to have access to firm capacity on the network points the balancing instruments are offered on when the request for qualification is made. When bids are actually placed on the bid price ladder, the APV must have access to firm capacity large enough to execute the offer (this means at least one complete bid of 150 MWh/h).

A request for qualification will be rejected if:
1. The network point does not support the leadtime included in the request.
2. The technical capacity of the network point is not sufficient to deliver or take off one complete bid of 150 MWh/h
3. The installation/infrastructure located beyond the network point cannot reasonably be expected to perform as required when a bid price ladder call is made.

If a request for qualification is approved, then the APV and GTS will enter into a framework agreement concerning the rights and responsibilities related to offering a balancing instrument on the bid price ladder. An operating protocol concerning timing of the process and the message exchange will form a part of this agreement.